Release Information

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2000

U.S. Census Bureau Releases 1998 American Community Survey CD-ROM

The Commerce Department's Census Bureau today announced the release of the third edition of the American Community Survey CD-ROM featuring information from the 1998 survey. (The American Community Survey is designed to replace the long-form questionnaire in the 2010 census.)

The CD-ROM, which comes with its own software, allows users to quickly access information in narrative and tabular formats. Users also can view or print charts, maps and reports from prepackaged tabulations, replicating those found in standard decennial reports, and conduct complex data manipulations and customized cross-tabulations.

Data are displayed in three formats: community profiles, detailed summary tables (similar to those from the 1990 census), and public-use microdata.

The 1998 CD-ROM includes data for two new sites, as well as multi-year data for many 1996 and 1997 sites. The sites added in 1998 were Kershaw and Richland counties in South Carolina and Broward County in Florida. Also included in 1998 were Douglas County, Neb.; Franklin County, Ohio; Fort Bend and Harris counties, Texas; Otero County, N.M.; Rockland County, N.Y.; Multnomah County, Ore.; and Fulton County, Pa.

The data may be viewed with Windows 95, 98 or NT operating systems. The CD-ROM includes a user-friendly browser known as Beyond 20/20® licensed by Ivation Datasystems, Inc. The Hands-On Guided Tour includes tutorial "movies" about how to use the software to find the information the user needs. The Quick Start Guide has been updated to direct the user through more complex data manipulations and features.

A copy of the American Community Survey questionnaire is provided, along with information about methods, concepts and definitions related to the data. Narrative profiles providing plain-language descriptions of each community complement standard tables.

The American Community Survey will provide accurate and timely demographic and economic indicators throughout the decade for federal, state and local governments. Communities can use the information to plan for economic development; to make decisions about locating schools, roads and hospitals; and to monitor change over time. The number of sites was expanded in 1999 to 31. The American Community Survey will be conducted nationwide in 2003.

For more information on the survey or to request a free copy of the CD-ROM, please call 1-888-456-7215 or send an e-mail to acs@census.gov.

The Census Bureau needs the help of local residents to conduct Census 2000. Job opportunities include census taker positions in communities and neighborhoods and office work. A large number of part-time positions are available. For more information on census jobs in your area, call toll-free 1-888-325-7733.

The Census Bureau guarantees that the answers given on census forms and all its surveys are kept strictly confidential. Information collected in Census 2000 will provide local area data needed for communities to receive federal program funds and for private sector and community planning.

-X-

The letters PPT indicate a document is in the Microsoft® PowerPoint® Format (PPT). To view the file, you will need the Microsoft® PowerPoint® Viewer available for free from Microsoft®.